


The Stray

by Saiyan_Lion



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: All The Ships, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Badass Katsuki Yuuri, Boats and Ships, Captain Viktor Nikiforov, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Confident Katsuki Yuuri, Cute Katsuki Yuuri, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Inspired by Yuri!!! on Ice, M/M, Oblivious Katsuki Yuuri, Ocean, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Pirate Katsuki Yuuri, Pirates, Rating May Change, Sassy Katsuki Yuuri, Seals (Animals), Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, but not the kind of ships you think, like pirate ships, some royalty au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-01-26 15:51:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12560868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saiyan_Lion/pseuds/Saiyan_Lion
Summary: By order of the Queen, pirates must be eradicated. Captain Viktor Nikiforov is the man for the job. However, what happens when he meets the lively young captain of the pirate shipthe Stray?Prepare for pirates, adventure, intrigue, and cute seal kisses!





	1. It Started With the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> So this has been burning a hole in my pocket for a good few months. With the Music Box winding to a close, and the coming of angst with Half Breed, I figured, why not? I hope that you guys like pirates! Enjoy!

It all started with the sea. 

Captain Nikolai Plisetsky stared out to the ocean, inhaling the salty air deeply. It was another end of the day, the sun setting slowly below the waters while the moon began its ascent into the heavens. Many of the crew were down below, enjoying the last meal of the long journey they had partaken in before arriving to port. Nikolai had been charged with safe delivery of a certain young lad and his entourage to the port town, as per orders of the Crown. While he was used to escorting many an important figure, he had never had one as bright and curious as the young boy in his care.

The child was a bit small for a twelve year old boy, but was quite likely to shoot up like a weed before long. His hair was as dark as the night sky, and he had the warmest brown eyes he had ever seen. While the captain was no stranger to children, having himself a four year old grandson back home, he felt a certain softness to this little one, who had been nothing if not a most wonderful companion. Many of the crew joked in lament about giving up the sweet boy, 

He spied the young lad staring over the railing of the ship, watching the waves in rapt attention. He sighed blissfully, resting his cheek against the wood. The sun was setting over the sea, the light bleeding into the indigo waters. 

He smiled warmly, heading down the steps to join the child at the railing.

“Young’ns like you ought to be getting their rest.” he mused, walking up to join the boy’s side. The boy made no sound, nor did he make any move to leave. The man chuckled, resting his hand atop the boy’s head. “You best head below, young master. We’ll be arriving at daybreak.” 

“But I don’t want to go, Captain.” the boy finally said, his round, dark eyes fixated on the waters. “I wanna stay here, with you guys.” He buried his nose into his arms, keeping his eyes free. “I like it here.” 

Nikolai chuckled sympathetically. “I understand, young master, but you have a responsibility to your people. You should be thinking about that.” 

“But I don’t want to!” the young boy insisted, finally tearing his gaze away from the waters. He blinked up brightly at the man. “I want to travel around the world, and meet lots of people, like you do!” He pouted as he added, “Besides, my big sister is better at the responsibility stuff. She’s smart like that.” 

The old man lifted an eyebrow, amused. “Oh? And you’re not?” 

The boy bit his lip. “Well, I’d be afraid to mess up. If I’m too afraid to make sure a whole bunch of other people could get hurt from something I decide to do, then I won’t be any good at it. At least that’s what I think. I’d rather someone like my sister, who’s really smart, to be in charge.” 

Nikolai chuckled tenderly, rubbing his hair gently. It reminded him of his grandson’s own soft hair, although the coloring was far different. “It takes time, and I can relate to being a leader a little scary.” 

The boy’s eyes grew huge, staring up at him in disbelief. “ _You? Scared?_ ” he asked, jaw slack.

The captain chuckled again, heart warming at those big brown eyes, silently begging him for a story. “Indeed.The sea can be a cruel mistress, if you’re not careful. It’s even more unnerving when you’re trying to take care of everyone on your ship.” He smiled down at the boy, patting his small head gently. “From the biggest brutes to the littlest lads.” 

The boy smiled, accepting the affectionate gesture. Nikolai had no idea how this boy was considered shy. He was a curious little thing, and seemed to warm up to him almost immediately. Most of his attendants accompanying him had mused that his old sea stories were probably what won the boy over. 

Others, however, were not amused.

“Young master! What are you still doing up up here?!” exclaimed a rather strict sounding voice. The captain sighed while he felt the boy burrow himself into his side. The boy’s tutor, a harsh sounding woman by the name of Lilia Baranovskaya, came stomping up to them, her face stern. Nikolai didn’t blame the boy for being a little frightened of her, what with such a cold and threatening presence about her.

The boy hid behind the captain. “I’m not here!” he squeaked, hiding behind his legs. 

His tutor huffed, while the captain tried to keep a straight face. “Young master, you are twelve years old! You are far too old to be playing such a childish game!” she scolded.

The boy poked his head out behind him, only to stick his tongue out at his tutor before hiding behind the captain’s back again. 

Nikolai chuckled heartily, holding up his hands as Lilia glowered down at the boy. “Now, now. Let the lad be. He’s just a boy.” he said, trying to play peacemaker. 

The insulted woman huffed, putting her hands on her hips. “The _lad_ is the crown prince of the kingdom, _Captain_.” She turned her sharp eyes down to the boy, glowering at him. “He needs to start behaving like one.” 

The old man sighed, then looked behind her to the boy, the prince. The lad was holding tightly onto his jacket, looking like a man awaiting the gallows. He sighed, shaking his head while smiling sympathetically. 

“Surely that could wait another day?” the captain mused, patting the boy’s head. “After all, we’ll be reaching your destination tomorrow. He’s all yours after that.” 

Lilia tsked, frowning as she looked around at the boy again. Her face softened slightly at the child’s expression. She sighed, shaking her head. “I must be getting soft.” she grumbled to herself. “Fine! Do what you want! But you better enjoy it while it lasts, young master!” 

The boy brightened almost instantly, big brown eyes sparkling. Both adults couldn’t help the smiles that came to their faces at the prince’s unadulterated joy. “Yes ma’am!” he exclaimed excitedly.

Nikolai chuckled heartily at his eagerness. “How would you like to go play lookout for me in the crow’s nest?” he asked, kneeling down to the lad’s height. He pointed up to the structure high above them. “I need me a good lookout.” 

The boy’s eyes grew huge. “B-by myself?” he asked, looking a little deterred. “But I haven’t been up there by myself before.” 

The captain smiled encouragingly, squeezing his shoulder gently. “Aye. But I’m sure you can do it. You had such good eyes the last time we went up there, spotting those dolphins. Why don’t you try it by yourself this time?” 

The tutor’s mouth fell agape, mortified. “Captain, that’s-!” she began. 

“I’ve got faith in you, lad.” he insisted. When the boy continued to hesitate, the captain added, “Think of it as practice. You’re going to be watching out for everyone, and make sure everything’s safe. Here.” He reached into his pocket and produced a small, brass spyglass. It was a little beaten from age, but it served him well over the years. He held out the device to the prince, smiling gently. “You can even use this while up there.” 

The boy’s eyes couldn’t possibly grow bigger, but they did as he gingerly took the instrument into his hands. “R-really?” he asked in disbelief. “I can?” 

“Yes, you can.” The captain winked, patting the boy on the head. “I’m counting on you, alright?” 

The boy stared at him, still looking confused and a little scared. Then he set his lips and nodded determinedly, clutching the spyglass close to his narrow chest. “O-okay! Aye, Captain!” 

The man smiled, ruffling his dark hair playfully, eliciting a giggle from the boy. “There’s a good lad. Now off with you!” he said, shooing the boy off playfully towards the mast holding the nest. 

He and Lilia watched the prince carefully as he made his way slowly up the ropes towards the crow’s nest. 

“What are you thinking?” the woman asked, her eyes following the boy’s small body anxiously. 

The captain smiled, feeling a smidge of pride as the boy became more confident in his ascent. He hoped that his grandson would have that much curiosity in him someday. “Oh, just encouraging responsibility.” he said, crossing his arms. They watched silently as the young prince finally made it into the crow’s nest, grinning brightly as he got in. 

Both adults were too busy watching him to notice the dark, looming presence coming up fast and silent on the bow. 

The boy smiled, enjoying the feel of the wind in his hair. He really was going to miss being out at sea. It was the most fun he’s had in ages, and it was made all the better with Captain Nikolai. Maybe he could go with him on some of the adventures he always talked about? That would be fun! And maybe he would see mermaids and sea monsters and all kinds of stuff! 

The lad eagerly pulled out the brass spyglass from his pocket, extending the device to its full length, just like he had seen Nikolai do. He put it to his eye and looked out to the horizon before him. It looked clear. He thought he saw a dolphin leap out of the water, which made him laugh. 

He turned the glass over to his left, finding a strange ship on the horizon. He put the spyglass down to look at it, then put it back to his eye again. He gasped in surprise, unable to recognize the ship as a threat. “Captain! There’s a ship! There’s a-!” 

Canon fire. Splintering wood. 

The lad was unprepared for the onslaught of chaos, his senses going haywire and playing catch up to what had happened. 

Screaming. He could hear screaming. He could also hear the crackling of flames. What was happening? What was going on? 

Then dark. Cold. Black.

Hours pass, the boy shivering as the icy waters seeped deep into his bones. The shock of everything that happened rampaged through his body, still buffering on what just happened. He held tightly to the spyglass, desperately trying to hold on to his mind. 

The cold, however, seemed to be wanting to claim him. And it suddenly felt like a good idea to sleep. 

As he began to sink under the waves, losing his grip on the busted remains of the crow’s nest he was clinging on to, a pair of strong, firm hands grab his arm. He felt his limp body being pulled up into a small boat, vaguely aware of voices. 

“...live… Boy… alive…!” a woman’s voice cried, wrapping him up in a coat. 

He could still vaguely hear the crackle of the flames that were the remaining tell-tale signs of his ship being burned to ash, his attackers long gone. 

Pirates. 

The boy went limp in his rescuer’s arms, his chest heaving from inhaling smoke. He felt a hand run through his hair soothingly.

“Shhh. I've got you, little one. You're safe now.” she said gently, continuing her ministrations. 

The lad finally closed his eyes, finding himself fall into a deep sleep, clutching his spyglass closer to his chest.

Little did he know that his rescuers were pirates themselves.


	2. A Chance Encounter with the Stray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Viktor Nikiforov sails the seven seas years later after the disappearance of the Crown's Prince. His mission: to hunt down and condemn pirates. This is exactly what he attempts to do when happening upon the _Stray_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was actually written for a while (even before the first chapter), so I hope you enjoy it! Even though I don't feel that I'm that good with action-y scenes, I feel pretty damn happy with this one. 
> 
> This one is meant to be a little more silly than my other pieces, so I look forward to writing some hi-jinks. I hope you peoples enjoy it as well!

_Eleven years later_

It was mid-day. The sky was clear, the day warm with a good bit of wind. Perfect for sailing the high seas. And that was what Captain Viktor Nikiforov, a newly appointed officer of the Queen’s navy, was doing right now. Patrolling the ocean in search of the scum of the seven seas.

The tall man aside the wheel, staring out towards the expanse of the ocean, his own blue eyes narrowing as his lips formed a thin line. Not far from them, there was another ship. One with dark blue and black colors. 

Pirates.

The man at the wheel looked up to the other man in concern. “Captain Nikiforov, what do we do? That ship is the _Stray_!” he gasps, the man growing agitated. “We should avoid them as much as we can!” 

Viktor Nikiforov frowned, his glare fixed at the incoming ship. “No. Let them come.” he ordered stiffly. “The Crown’s orders are for all pirates to be eradicated; this should be no different. Or have you already forgotten?” he said grimly, taking to the steps. "Stay on course."

He went down two by two, grabbing a hold of a passing man’s shoulder. “Georgi, get the men down below to ready the canons. There are pirates on the horizon.” 

The dark haired man’s eyes bulged. “Pirates?!” he gasped, his skin visibly paling.

Viktor nodded impatiently. “Yes, now get moving! Get them ready!” he ordered, already marching off towards the edge of the ship to watch their progress.

“Yes, sir!” the Russian exclaimed, scurrying down below. 

The silver haired man put a hand to his scabbard and began barking orders to the crew as he reached the main deck. “Man your posts! Be alert! If they engage, fight with everything you’ve got! Remember,” His eyes seemed to almost become ice as he continued, “Don’t leave a single damn pirate alive, as per the orders of the Queen.” 

The crew shouted agreement, bustling around each other to prepare for the upcoming battle. Viktor turned, glaring at the ship as it neared his own, their intentions to board and pillage all too clear for him.

Pirates. Disgusting, vile creatures. They had no decency, no moral code but their own. Ever since the beginning, pirates were murderous monsters. But since the disappearance of the Crown’s only prince over ten years ago, pirates have become far more hated. They were responsible for the prince’s disappearance, and quite possibly his rumored death. 

Three years ago now, after the newly appointed Queen had taken over after the death of her parents, she demanded for pirates to be tried and killed, as a reminder to others who want to live a life of murder and crime, as well as to possibly regain some peace after the loss of the prince.

Viktor scanned over his crew, watching for any holes that could be exploited in their attack when he spotted an all too familiar shade of blonde in the midst. His jaw dropped, and he stalked over, his face forming a cloud. 

“Yuri Plisetsky, what in God’s name are you doing on my ship?!” he exclaimed, grabbing the brat by the back of his shirt. He was greeted with swearing that would make any old sea dog blush. Viktor, however, was not amused. “Does your mother even know you’re on this ship?!” 

The young lad he was currently fighting with was his own nephew. His older sister was married and much older than himself, and had a son around the time Viktor was twelve years old. Said son was a tiny ball of rage, who disregarded authority and was a bigger pain in the arse than any old pirate. The tiny ball of rage glared up at him, seething at his uncle. 

“I wanna fight pirates, too, you stupid asshole!” the scrawny blonde teen snapped, glowering up at the tall man. “Let me fight!” 

“Your mother would kill me if I let you get hurt by pirates.” Viktor retorted, dropping the boy to his feet. “And I prefer to be in my elder sister’s good graces.” He crossed his arms. “What were you thinking, stowing away on board?!” 

“I can fight!” the boy hissed adamantly, stomping a foot on the wooden deck harshly. The captain growled, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. 

“Like hell you are.” Viktor hissed back. He pushed the boy below deck. “Stay down here until we’ve dealt with the pirates. I’ll deal with _you_ later.” He shut the door on the boy before he could start swearing a storm, stomping over to the side of the ship once more. 

His sister would kill him if something happened to her son. Something the said son seemed to not realize. 

The silver haired man drew his sword as the pirates came within firing distance, pointing canons towards the ship. Several of his men were manning their own cannons on deck. He could hear the rolling of the ones down below. Viktor smiled. 

There will be one less pirate ship sailing the sea. He'd be damned if they won against the Crown's own navy.

He slashed the blade down, staring hard at the enemy ship. “FIRE!!” he shouted, voice loud and ringing through the air. Canon fire soon exploded after, targeting the pirate ship. 

The enemy ship returned fire, it’s own canons hitting the railing of the ship. Viktor’s lips formed into a thin frown. The ship will need repairs once they’ve eradicated these pests. “FIRE!!” 

The ship was close enough to where Viktor could hear the shouts of another voice giving commands. His eyes narrowed, now straining for the voice. That must be the captain. 

The silver-haired man’s eyes roamed over the bodies on the opposing ship,visually hunting for his prey. If he could get the captain, the pirates would either give up like the cowards they were, or they would show their bloodthirsty side and continue their onslaught, even if their captain is dead. 

Pirates truly were no better than dogs.

As soon as Viktor thought he found the source of the commands, the pirate ship rammed into the side of his own. He stumbled, quickly righting himself as he looked up. He was staring at the side of the enemy ship now, glaring up at the craft.

The _Stray_. Fitting name, for a pirate ship. It seemed every rascal and mutt was aboard the vessel, the tacky cloths and colors a stark contrast to the crisp, clean look of the navy's uniforms. 

Viktor shouted orders to attack as pirates began swinging themselves over to board his ship. He will not go down until every last one of them was dead. 

The blue-eyed man rushed forward, engaging with two young looking pirates at the same time. They must be new recruits. Young and inexperienced, not much older than Yuri. They may just be worth saving. 

He kicked his boot into one of their chests, shoving the lad away before easily removing the sword of the other lad with his own blade. 

Just as Viktor was about to deal a physical blow to the now disarmed blond youngster, more intent to knock him out than kill him, a blade stopped his path. He looked over to see a young man, glaring at him from the corner of his eye. 

“Minami! Guang Hong! What have I told you?! I told you not to engage! You’re supposed to be down below!” the man snapped furiously, immediately placing himself between the boys and Viktor. “Get back on deck! And _stay there_ , for God’s sake!” 

The blond boy quickly grabbed the other boy’s arm, a sweet-faced looking boy with brown fluffy hair, and the two quickly scurried off, away from the danger. 

Viktor turned and glared, getting a good look at his opponent for the first time. 

He was a handsome young man a few inches shorter than himself, with a slightly round and soft looking face, giving him a youthful appearance. His raven-colored hair was slicked back and his chocolate colored eyes were narrowed dangerously, making his otherwise soft appearance fierce. His body looked somewhat soft, too, but also seemed to hold the grace of a dancer and a fighter, clothed in an elaborately decorated dark blue coat with silver buttons, white breeches and black boots. 

This must be who he was looking for. 

The captain. 

Viktor gave him a slight mocking smile, fiddling with the sword in his hand. “I didn’t know that pirates allowed _children_ to become captains.” he mocked, jabbing at the man’s youthful appearance. “It’d be a waste to have to kill someone so young.” 

The young man raised an eyebrow, sword still in hand. “So you’re offering your surrender to me, then? Very well, I accept.” he said quickly, flashing a grin. 

Viktor chuckled, no warmth in it. “Ah, to be young and brash again. Too bad you chose to live the life of an ignoble pirate. You’d probably have made a good soldier, or at least a good husband.” 

The young captain frowned. “What I do with my life is mine, _old man_.” he said proudly, twirling the sword in his hands. He smirked at Viktor’s annoyed frown. “If you insist I’m but a child to you, then it’s only appropriate that I refer to you as an old man.” 

Viktor glared, setting himself in his fighting stance, sword at the ready. “I’ll have your tongue for that, boy.” he said seriously, pissed. 

The young man gave him a mock-bow, flourishing his arms grandiosely before getting into position as well. He smirked. “You’d have to catch me first, old fart.” 

They immediately begin their duel, finding in each other a more than worthy opponent. Viktor couldn’t help but be impressed with the young man as their swords clashed constantly. His movements were just like a dancer’s, as his body seemed to have suggested, easily maneuvering around Viktor’s attacks, all with fluidity and grace. The boy’s blows were oddly careful and measured, despite his dancing around, proving himself to be quick and light on his feet. 

In turn, Viktor made sure to often force the young man into the defensive whenever he had the chance. There had to be some sort of opening, some weakness that might come about with the young man. There was no way a human this agile could possibly be able to keep up with all this movement. One would have to be a powerhouse of stamina to be able to keep up with Viktor’s fast and powerful strikes. 

This young man, infuriatingly enough, seemed to have just the stamina to push Viktor himself. The older man could feel himself grow worn, but didn’t let that show. He refused to show weakness; not when a pirate needs to be killed. 

Viktor backed the young man towards the edge of the ship, intent on forcing him overboard. The young rascal seemed to have caught onto what he was planning, as when the Russian made to swipe at the young man’s belly with his sword, he leapt up, landing perfectly balanced on the edge of the ship'a railing. He gracefully tread quickly along the edge as Viktor furiously followed after him, trying to get him to trip up, to something. 

Damn these young people and their energy. 

Viktor’s opponent leaped back onto the deck, balancing precariously atop a canon. Viktor swung his blade, barely missing the young man’s boot before he leaped up into the air, dodging him, and landed lightly and beautifully on deck. The young man turned and smirked at Viktor. 

Viktor responded by continuing their dance with blades. 

He forced the young man towards the ropes, hoping to trap him and ensnare him there. True to plan, the light-footed man seemed to have lost balance and stumbled, Viktor barely missing the captain’s hand with his blade. 

The captain rolled quickly out of the way, and before Viktor could react, a pistol was pointed towards him. The captain panted, smirking in triumph. Viktor recognized the weapon and quickly patted his belt. His pistol was gone. 

Viktor stared at the pirate, agape. “That’s cheating.” he accused, shocked by the turn of events. This brat was quick witted, to boot. 

The young man laughed, shrugging. “Yeah. Pirate.” He cocked the pistol, then raised it skyward, firing the shot into the air. The shot let out a deafening ring in the air, drawing every person’s attention. Viktor found the pistol pointed towards himself again. 

The young captain opened his mouth, his presence confident and commanding.. “Unless you lot want to see your cap’n’s brains blown out on the deck, you’ll be coming with us. We’re commandeering this ship.” he said, his voice crystal clear. 

Viktor noticed with a frown as his men stopped fighting, some even putting their weapons down. He will not allow this. “I’m but one man! Are you going to let some cowardly pirates walk all over you?!" His chest puffed out, looking every bit as furious as he was feeling. "We’re the Queen’s men! Don’t let them bully you!” 

The young captain tutted, wagging his finger condescendingly at Viktor. “I think you’re underestimating a crew’s loyalty to their cap’n, Cap’n.” he said, smirking. “And I’m afraid that my crew has some issues with your choice of words there.” 

Viktor glared at him, ignoring the glares from the pirates. “I serve the Queen and the Crown. I won’t rest until I’ve satisfied the Queen of the eradication of all pirates.” he growled lowly. 

The pirate lifted an eyebrow, seemingly unimpressed. “Very well. Lads, throw them in the brig. Search for any more passengers aboard the ship. Grab anything of value.” he said. He looked to Viktor’s men, his brown eyes steely. “If you wish to see your cap’n live, I suggest you play nicely and follow my crew to your new abode.” He turned to Viktor. “You will be coming with us, Cap’n. Hope you don’t mind.” 

Viktor glared, trying to think of a way out of this. “You think you’re going to win that easily?” he asked, huffing. “You’ve got some nerve.” 

The young man shrugged. “Well, when you’ve been at this for as long as I have, you can get a fairly good read on the crew of some men. And yours seem to care enough for your own well-being to follow my demands.” 

The young man smiled, giving the navy officer another one of his mock-bows. "Don't worry, Cap'n. You're in good hands." He gestured to his ship as he stepped on to the gangplank linking the two boats. " I'm Captain Yuuri Katsuki. Welcome to the _Stray_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alas, now Viktor and his crew have been captured! Captured by a very handsome young captain, that is~. I hope you all enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think below!

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeah, this has been on my mind for about as long as Twin Lilies had been, so I felt like I have it developed enough (I feel) to be able to start it up confidently. Let me know what you guys think!! And not to worry, Half Breed is updating soon! I just couldn't keep my gremlin fingers off of this any longer.


End file.
